Wigan Athletic FC

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• Manager:Roberto Martinez

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Bruce: Latics missed Fraizer

04 Sep 2008 - 12:11:58

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Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce has revealed he came close to landing Manchester United starlet Fraizer Campbell on transfer deadline day.

The England Under-21s striker eventually headed to Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan as part of the £30million deal which brought to Dimitar Berbatov to Old Trafford.

But Bruce had remained hopeful of landing the former Hull City loanee until he received word from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson late on deadline day.

"We were an inch away from getting the boy," he told the Wigan Evening Post.

"At 8.30pm on deadline night I thought it was a done deal. We had agreed everything with Manchester United and Sir Alex.

"Unfortunately I then got a telephone call from Sir Alex at about 9pm saying the deal was off because Campbell was having to go to Tottenham.

"Once he became ravelled up in the Berbatov deal, that scuppered us, which was a big shame.

"The kid is a good young player, he would have been a really good addition for us and was coming on a year's loan.

"At the weekend I hadn't envisaged doing any incoming business, but then Campbell became possible because a proposed permanent transfer to Hull collapsed.

"That opened the door, I tried to get in and I thought we were going to be successful until right at the end."